The Crucified Life Ministries Blog

He Appeared to Be Dead

August 14th, 2018

He Appeared to Be Dead

Acts 20:8-10 (KJB) And there were many lights in the upper chamber, where they were gathered together. 9 And there sat in a window a certain young man named Eutychus, being fallen into a deep sleep: and as Paul was long preaching, he sunk down with sleep, and fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead. 10 And Paul went down, and fell on him, and embracing him said, Trouble not yourselves; for his life is in him.

These verses are recorded about a young man, named Eutychus, who fell asleep and literally fell during one of Paul’s sermons and appeared to be dead. This young man had fallen asleep and subsequently had fallen out of a third story window onto the ground far below.

It is very probable that this young man should have been dead from this fall.

However, though he appeared to be dead, he was alive.

How many times have you and I looked at the outer appearance and character of another brother or sister who professes Christ and all we can see in our limited vision is their propensity to sin. Yes, we hear their profession of faith, but we get caught up in looking at their obvious sinful outward condition rather than believing in the possibility of the presence of the supernatural power and presence of God at work in the heart of the matter.

We often forget we cannot see into the heart of another professing child of God. It is true,

God is always at work perfecting the hearts of His spiritual children, even when we cannot see Him or perceive His end results.

Just like the outward appearance of this young man, we assume because of an obvious fall a person’s heart condition is automatically spiritually dead and dormant. However, we must keep in mind that none of us are ever privileged to see inside the heart condition of another. Even when somebody appears to be lost, only God knows the circumstances of his fall and further the real spiritual condition of his heart.

Led by God, Paul was faithful and spiritually adamant, instantly checking the state of this young man who had precariously fallen. Though this young man did indeed have the state of his inner health properly aligned with God, the outward appearance of his fall seemed life-threatening. The result of the condition of his heart left this man with no serious or permanent eternal injury for God was in control.